Shakshuka Bread Bowl with Mushrooms and Feta
Serves 2 · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: 40 minutes
Don’t throw away the bread you scoop out of the loaf! Toast those pieces while the mushrooms cook, then use them to scoop up the tomato sauce and runny yolk.
Ingredients
For the bread bowl
- 1 round sourdough boule, about 6 to 7 inches wide
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
For the mushroom shakshuka
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- ½ small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
- 1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- 1
Toast the bread bowl
Heat the oven to 425°F.
Cut the top from the sourdough loaf. Pull out enough bread to create a bowl, leaving about ¾ inch around the sides and bottom. Brush the inside with olive oil.
Put the loaf and its top on a sheet pan. Tear the bread you removed into chunks and add those too. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the inside of the loaf feels dry and the loose pieces have crisp edges.
- 2
Brown the mushrooms
Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in one layer and leave them alone for 2 minutes.
Stir and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Once the mushrooms have browned, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion softens, about 4 minutes.
- 3
Make the tomato sauce
Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper. Stir for about 30 seconds.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. The sauce needs to look thick before it goes near the bread.
Taste and add more salt if needed.
- 4
Fry the eggs
Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Crack in the eggs and cover the pan.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the whites have set and the yolks look as runny as you want them.
- 5
Fill the bread bowl
Set the toasted loaf on a plate and spoon in the mushroom tomato sauce. Add the fried eggs, followed by the feta, scallions, mint, and parsley.
Serve immediately with the toasted bread pieces and the top of the loaf for dipping.
Shortcuts and substitutions
Skip the bread bowl: Serve the shakshuka from the skillet with thick slices of toasted sourdough.
Use prepared tomato sauce: Replace the crushed tomatoes with 2 cups of plain marinara. Add the cumin and smoked paprika, then taste before adding salt.
Different mushrooms: White mushrooms work without any other changes. Shiitake mushrooms give the sauce a stronger, earthier flavor.
Cook the eggs in the sauce: Make two wells in the finished tomato sauce and crack in the eggs. Cover the skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
No mint: Use more parsley or a small handful of fresh dill.
No feta: Crumbled goat cheese works, although it tastes creamier and less salty.
Frequently asked questions
Is shakshuka the same as eggs in purgatory?
Both dishes pair eggs with tomato sauce. Eggs in purgatory comes from Italian cooking. Shakshuka has North African roots and often includes cumin, peppers, or other warm spices.
This version uses cumin, mushrooms, feta, and mint, with fried eggs added at the end.
Can I make the shakshuka sauce ahead?
Yes. Cook the mushroom tomato sauce up to three days ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. Warm it in a skillet while the bread bowl toasts.
Fry the eggs and fill the bread shortly before eating.
What bread works best?
Look for a round sourdough loaf with a sturdy crust. Very soft bread absorbs the sauce quickly and becomes difficult to cut.
If you cannot find a small boule, use a larger loaf and serve the shakshuka in the center for everyone to share.
More recipes to try
Save this recipe, and any recipe from anywhere, in Shio.
Get Shio